![]() Solar cells are right in the middle, protected from both sides.Encapsulant physically protects the solar cell.Anti-reflective coating to allow more sunlight to hit the solar cells.Glass protects the top of the solar cells and provides strength, while still allowing light to hit the solar cells.While frameless solar panels are beginning to come on the market, most solar panels still come with an aluminum frame. An aluminum frame provides structure and protects the glass.Here are the layers of a solar panel, in order from front to back: Since the glass is rigid and can crack, most solar panels are protected by an aluminum frame that goes around the solar panel to provide more strength. ![]() That’s the basic idea of how a solar cell works, so now let’s see how solar cells fit into the actual solar panel.Īll the solar cells in a solar panel are extremely flat and squashed between a sheet of glass on top and a protective layer underneath. At that point it moves – along with all the other homeless electrons – to whatever device you want to power.Īfter the electrons are used, they travel back to the aluminum sheet on the back and into the p-layer (the one with extra holes) where the process starts over. That homeless electron then moves to the outside of the layer and is collected up and deposited to a wire. When photons in sunlight hit the panel, they knock an electron in the n-layer out of its bond. Remember how electricity is simply the flow of electrons? Well, the n- and p-layers are both made of silicon, but the n-layer has extra electrons while the p-layer has extra holes that electrons can fill. The n-layer and p-layer are the powerhouse of solar cells – it is where electricity is made! What are those? That’s where the magic happens! P/N junction: the magic that creates electricity In between those two layers is the n-layer and the p-layer. ![]() You can see the aluminum at the bottom of the panel that allows ‘used’ electrons to flow back into the panel (thus completing the circuit) as well as the anti-reflective coating on top to allow the solar panel to absorb as much sunlight as possible. The image above represents a cross section of a solar cell. Silicon is the workhorse that actually converts sunlight to electricity, while the other materials help to gather and transmit that electricity. Solar cells are made up of extremely thin layers of silicon (the 2 nd most common element in the universe), silver, aluminum, and a few other elements. If you look closely at the image above, you can see each square blue solar cell in the panel. A typical residential solar panel includes 60 solar cells. The solar cells are what actually transform light into electricity. Solar cells are the cornerstone of solar panels Today, let’s break down what exactly composes a solar panel so that we can learn a little more about this wonder of the modern world. However, when you take a closer look at a solar panel diagram, you’ll see they are actually incredibly complex. There’s no motors and no moving parts (electrons are the only moving object in a solar panel). Sunlight hits them and they produce electricity, then flows out of a wire to whatever you want to power. On first glance, solar panels are pretty simple pieces of technology. The Solar Star PV power station produces 579 megawatts of electricity, while the Topaz Solar Farm and Desert Sunlight Solar Farm each produce 550 megawatts.Taking a Closer Look at a Solar Panel Diagram We break down a solar panel to find out what’s inside The largest PV systems in the country are located in California and produce power for utilities to distribute to their customers. Systems also include mounting structures that point panels toward the sun, along with the components that take the direct-current (DC) electricity produced by modules and convert it to the alternating-current (AC) electricity used to power all of the appliances in your home. ![]() PV modules and arrays are just one part of a PV system. Because of this modular structure, PV systems can be built to meet almost any electric power need, small or large. One or more arrays is then connected to the electrical grid as part of a complete PV system. Modules can be used individually, or several can be connected to form arrays. To boost the power output of PV cells, they are connected together in chains to form larger units known as modules or panels. In order to withstand the outdoors for many years, cells are sandwiched between protective materials in a combination of glass and/or plastics. These cells are made of different semiconductor materials and are often less than the thickness of four human hairs. An individual PV cell is usually small, typically producing about 1 or 2 watts of power. What is photovoltaic (PV) technology and how does it work? PV materials and devices convert sunlight into electrical energy. ![]()
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